Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in connection with landfill methane generation and enhancement.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,170 issued to Cummings (1994) describes a gas-to-energy system featuring beneficial use of sludge in a landfill. The system includes a device for disposing waste in the landfill and a device for disposing sludge in the landfill with the waste. The system also includes a device for collecting gas produced within the landfill from the sludge mixed with the waste and a device for generating electrical energy from the collected gas. The generating device is in fluidic communication with the collecting device. The present invention is also a system for a landfill having a device for disposing waste in a landfill, for disposing sludge in the landfill with the waste, for collecting gas produced within the landfill from the sludge mixed with the waste and a device for separating the gas into components having a common molecular structure. The '170 patent further describes a method of operating a landfill.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,676 issued to Hater et al. (2001) discloses landfills including multiple lifts having horizontal piping layers and methods for their use to accelerate anaerobic and/or aerobic degradation of municipal solid waste to increase landfill capacity. The '676 patent provides a method for degrading solid waste that increases landfill density and capacity, a method for degrading solid waste that accelerates landfill aerobic and/or anaerobic degradation, a method for degrading solid waste that improves degradation by-product quality, and a method for reducing noxious landfill gas emissions.